As a learn direct centre the Hope Foundation recognises

 It’s a very difficult job market out there and this is made tougher by the fact jobseekers do not understand what today’s employers are looking for. 88% of employers rate workplace skills as a top priority, yet only 9% of jobseekers in the North East consider them important

Workplace skills, such as knowing how to talk to co-workers and behave in the right way for a work environment, are a major problem area. 79% of businesses say they have seen staff behave in an inappropriate way. Jobseekers who have been criticised for their workplace skills in previous jobs say they have been criticised for rudeness (49%) and poor time management (44%).

Lack of understanding about how to perform in an interview situation is holding jobseekers back. Just under a quarter (24%) of unemployed jobseekers in the North East  say they don’t know how to create a good impression in interviews and 42% of employers say the majority of interviewees fail to impress

Despite acknowledging it is an important skills area, jobseekers struggle with basic skills like maths & English. 59% say poor spelling is top of the list of areas they have been criticised for in previous jobs. More than one in 10 (16%) have been given feedback from previous employers or when applying for jobs that they need to improve on their maths & English skills specifically

The research also revealed that jobseekers feel let down by formal education, saying schools and colleges should have offered more practical help and advice to help prepare them for the job market. 38% of jobseekers and 37% of employers say schools and colleges need to better prepare students for the job market with more of an emphasis needed on teaching workplace skills, such as communication and people management, as well as how to handle the job application and interview process.

learndirect has helped more than 3million people across the country, get the vital skills and qualifications they need to improve their job prospects and life. Visit www.learndirect.co.uk/newjob for more information or contact the hope foundation for your local Tees Valley Centre

• View our case study – Remington Mills